Veterans poll: Most say VA ‘difficult’

A majority of veterans say they find it difficult to access medical care through the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a new poll from Gallup.

Asked to rate their opinion of the VA’s medical care, 55 percent of veterans polled said it was either “very difficult” or “somewhat difficult” to access services made available by the embattled federal department. Thirty percent of respondents said they find it very or somewhat easy to access VA care, and 14 percent had no opinion.

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Gallup also found that veterans’ perceptions of VA care often align with their political affiliation. Forty percent of Democrats in the survey said VA care is easy to obtain, while only 23 percent of Republicans said the same. Regardless of politics, the VA’s reputation has taken a big hit: Six in 10 respondents said the scandal has made them less confident in the department’s ability to care for veterans, while 34 percent said the news has not affected their views.